Friday, November 29, 2019

Creation Vs Evolution, Was Man Created Be An Almighty God, Or Is He Si

Creation vs evolution, was man created be an almighty god, or is he simply a product of modern science. This question has puzzled scholarly minds for many years and yet will for many to come. The one that makes the most sense to me and has the most supporting evidence, is evolution. Not the normal, goop to fish to creature to monkey to man, obviously I skipped some, but one not so greatly known. It is called punctual equalibrium. Punctual equalibrium is a type of evolution stating that the evolution of man was in quick great changes caused by radiation from solar flares. These solar flares caused mutations. If this is the way not only man but all organisms were formed than it would explain a whole lot. The Cambrian explosion, talked about by Graham Hudgens, in a presentation given by him to this very class, states that, " The earth's strata has a big gap between the Cambrian era and the pre Cambrian era. In the strata of the earth there is a layer abundant with life. This is the Cambrian era. Then there is a layer directly under it where there is nothing." This is where the Cambrian explosion occurred. Punctual equalibrium has a valid explanation for this. If a mutation occurred and multi-cellular life sprung from that mutation than punctual equalibrium clarifies it perfectly. It also has been said the chances of that happening are slim to none, but I disagree. There are many mutations in our world and in the animal world. So we know it isn't impossible. Opponents argue that these mutations are from human technology and only that but I disagree. Opponents also argue that a mutation is an inheritable change in the character of a gene. Stated by the Grolier multimedia encyclopedia. Mutations most often occur spontaneously, but they may be induced by some external stimuli, such as radiation or certain chemicals. The rate of mutation in humans is extremely low; nevertheless, the number of genes in a human, is so large that the chances of this occurring is high for at least one gene to carry a mutation. Creationists say that the monkey to man theory is impossible because there is no missing link. With Punctual equalibrium the missing link isn't missing because there is no need for one. The transition from is exempt. Finally, I see my beliefs as the correct ones, but I am open minded and am not scared of changing my opinions. I do challenge the rest of you to find a better fitting more probable solution to the question that has bewildered man for all time. How did we get here?

Monday, November 25, 2019

Personal Skills Development in the Teamwork

Personal Skills Development in the Teamwork Introduction In the modern world, organizations are increasingly becoming active and uneven (Barthe 2010, p. 94). Instabilities force organizations to form groups and teams that are expected to work together in order to achieve organizational goals and objectives. An organization relies on teams and groups in delivering services to clients.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Personal Skills Development in the Teamwork specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There is increased complexity regarding the composition of teams, skill requirement, and risk management. In high reliability organizations such as the telecommunication company, teamwork plays a critical role in enhancing service delivery. A small mistake would result in serious losses, as well as complaints from customers. Working in a team enabled me to learn various coping skills (Horlick-Jones 1995, p. 310). I realized that teamwork is a tool that can be utilized to achieve high results. In the Nigerian network industry, competition is stiff implying that organizations must develop some strategies in order to outsmart their competitors. MRN employs teamwork in order to conquer its rivals. Working with other experts in the organization assisted me in understanding that teamwork entails three strategies. One of the strategies employed in enhancing teamwork is grouping individuals according to capabilities. This is upon realization that people differ in terms of talent. For instance, I was placed under the supervision of a network professional, with adequate skills on matters related to networking. This was to ensure that I learn the basics of networking in detail. In the team, there were individuals with task-oriented skills while others were team-oriented. It was the role of the manager to balance the two groups (Geschwind 2001, p. 69). In the team, the management ensured that organizational goals are achieved by modifying the tasks of indivi duals and the organization structure. This was to ensure workflow in the organization. Team competency was guaranteed in the organization through continuous training. The management at MRN capitalized on team training in enhancing team performance. Scholars define team training as the application of set of instructions that depend on well-tested apparatus. This apparatus includes simulator, lectures, and videos. In the organization, the management ensured that employees are provided with relevant training lessons each week. The main aim of management was to ensure that team training replicates the general values of learning theory.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In this regard, training was meant to present information regarding basic group behaviors. Training provided team members with a chance to practice the skills they learned on a weekly basis. Working u nder the supervision of an expert was vital to my career because I could get feedback as regards to my performance (Dressel 2001, p. 39). Drawing on relevant theory and concepts, would this be described as a group or a team? Usually, there is a difference between a group and a team. However, many people fail to note the difference. A team is internally structured while the group is externally structured. A team has objectives, with tasks for each team member. On the other hand, a group is a collection of individuals who share the same objective. It may include people with similar interests. In the organization, all employees belong to a group because their major interest is to earn a salary. A number of scholars have designed theories to explain the behavior of individuals in a team. However, Tuckman’s theory is the only outstanding theory that explains the activities of individuals in a team precisely (Drake, Wong Salter 2007, p. 1975). The theory suggests that a team devel ops through various stages. When an individual joins an organization, he or she becomes an automatic group member. The employee might be an underperformer but would still be a group member. Through clear stages, such an employee would develop to become a team player. From a group, a cohesive and a task-focused team would be formed. In a small group of employees, a certain structure characterizes the group. Within the group, there is a clear task for each member. Groups evolve into teams in stages. Tuckman identified four stages as illustrated in the following graph. Forming is the first stage (Chandra 2009, p. 76). Source: TuckmanAdvertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Personal Skills Development in the Teamwork specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Identify and critically reflect on the relationship between the objectives of the project/ significant operational task and your individual role and objectives The main object ive of the project was to devise, develop, and authenticate the idea of applying opportunistic networks and relevant cognitive management structures for efficient use in future internet. The project aimed at tackling a number of problems, which were correlated to the project. The objectives of the project compared closely with my personal objectives (Biswas 2011, p. 101). In my group, I requested the management to assign to me roles that were consistent with my skills. In the global market, networking is one of the new investments that have attracted the attention of many businesspersons. Networking system provides a new way of communicating. For instance, through networking, it is possible to transfer important information, including quality images. My major objective was to study the major challenges facing the internet industry since it is very important as far as e-commerce is concerned. By working in the organization, I would evaluate the effects of networking on small business es across the country. Therefore, my broad objective was similar to the main objective of the organization, which was to develop the most effective networking system. The new system would benefit from the new technological innovations, such as the invention of Smartphone. The new networking system would help in improving the performance of various sectors, such as education, tourism, and e-commerce (Barry 2005, p. 17). Apart from the general objective, the organization had four minor objectives, which were also related to mine. The organization aimed at utilizing the new software, such as digital library, to reach out to customers. Through the new software, the company would distribute networking techniques to willing customers. Since projects must aim at benefiting the society, the organization aspired to design a culturally accepted project. Therefore, the organization had to study the cultural aspects of various communities (Carlin 2009, p. 77). Projects are sometimes resisted be cause they do not comply with the norms and values of the locals. Similarly, I always believe that any project must comply with cultural issues such as religion, norms, and principles of the locals. In Nigeria, cultural values influence the performance of the company in many ways. People would be reluctant to consume products and services produced by a culturally controversial company. The company had objective of incorporating the project to the educational system. This would help many scholars in their various fields.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Though I had my own objectives, I always ensured that the objectives of the organization are given priority. My interaction with other members of the organization was very strong and productive. Since I am a natural leader, I was always confident that everything would work out for me. Therefore, I had to control my feelings and actions in order to create a healthy work milieu. I always ensured that I communicate with relevant sections in time. Moreover, communication between employees and the managers was encouraged in the organization. I used the policy to form strong ties with the management and other members of the organization. Whenever I face any difficulty, I could reach out to the management to explain myself. I used my strong interpersonal skills to ask questions to experts. Since I understand that experience cannot be obtained by simply sitting in the office and following orders, I ensured that I visit the experts in other sections of the organization to learn more regardin g the performance of the organization. Leaders in the organization were very helpful because they always ensured that employees are comfortable. They always updated employees on what was happening in the organization. Through this interactive relationship, leaders could easily identify and solve problems in time. In fact, the rapport between workers and the management was very strong. Moreover, employees respected each other and always embraced the spirit of teamwork. This was helpful to my development since I learned that communication plays an important role in achieving individual and organizational goals. In the networking organization, leaders were frequently asking questions to employees. It was very important because it gave employees a chance to express themselves. In fact, leaders were full of self-confidence and self-esteem. The type of interaction supported in the organization made each employee comfortable. It even encouraged employees to communicate among themselves. Wh enever an issue emerged, employees were open to face the leader without the fear of victimization. Whenever the management was approached with a question, answers would be provided instantly. Leaders were so receptive because they never dismissed any one for asking an irrelevant question. In other words, leaders had enough time to listen to the problems of employees. In some organizations, leaders are always against the idea of asking questions. They would only prefer that people should follow company rules strictly. Drawing on relevant theory and concepts, and with reference to 1b, evaluate how interacting with your colleagues is helpful Interaction between the management and employees was always encouraged because it helped in generating efficiency. Workers were encouraged to post their suggestions to the management without necessarily following the bureaucratic procedures. An effective communication channel helped the organization in solving serious problems. The leaders could as k employees to explain their problems even before employees could complain. In this regard, employees thought that the leaders of the organization were caring and were concerned about the plight of employees. Unlike in many organizations, leaders at the telecommunication company asked questions personally. In other places, leaders utilize the services of the internet, such as the email, to communicate with their juniors. In this forms of communication, employees are reluctant to express facts in their messages. They would tend to respond in a way suggesting that they loyal to their bosses. However, verbal communication is very important because it allows the leader to study the attitude of an employee. In other words, the employee has an opportunity of assessing the tone and nonverbal cues of the communication. This allows the communicators in the organization to understand the communication situation. Through face-to-face communication, leaders would be able to explain their intent ions more clearly. Additionally, the leader would receive a comprehensive answer and would seek clarification. In the organization, face-to-face communication was adopted because not all employees are good writers. Some are employees are good communicators only if given a chance to express themselves verbally. Looking back on the project/ significant operational task, what would be done differently and why? Regarding the project, many things would be done differently if given an opportunity to head the project. However, the management implemented it the way it was because of lack of time and resources. Given an opportunity to implement the project, I will follow the ten basic principles of project management. In the first place, I would concentrate on interfacing. This would entail exploring all available options before choosing the implementation technique. Secondly, I would organize the project team and ensure that resources are availed in time. In the organization, resources were not availed in time, which hindered the implementation process. For funds to be released, the project committee had to wait for some time. Such delays are usually harmful to the implementation process. In the organization, those charged with the designing and implementation of the project never planned technically and strategically. This aspect of project management would produce high results. Moreover, I would have incorporated Murphy’s Law in implementing the project. Even though the organization followed the law, a few aspects were left out. For instance, not all stakeholders were identified. The management was not ready to handle conflicts. Conflicts are very dangerous to the survival of projects. However, the telecommunication company was not prepared to resolve any serious conflict. This is because measures were not yet in place to counter any conflict (Carter 2000, p. 330). The original skills audit, and PDP. This should be included within the appendices and summarize d within the main body to the report In the telecommunications company in Nigeria, I acquired various skills that are vital to my career. I must admit that acquisition of these skills called for hard work and perseverance. I must also admit that the group members were supportive. This helped me in acquiring managerial skills easily. The first skill pertains to time and organization. Time is one of the skills that people find it difficult to adapt. In the organization, time is an essential resource, which is carefully measured in terms of hours, minutes, and seconds. Lateness is not tolerated at all, and all those found reporting at work late are punished severely. The organization can cancel the day’s wages if an individual fails to give a valid reason for lateness. To some extent, I was an organized person since I scored three out of the possible maximum of five. However, I was a poor timekeeper since I always reported to work late. Moreover, I never handed in assignments in time. The management praised me for being an organized person because I was always neat and clean. In matters related to time and organization, the major indicators were timely completion of paperwork, prioritizing company tasks, the ability to handle interruptions and management of the timetable. In terms of handling pressure, I was rated the best, but I could not manage my timetable well. This is because of family commitments. However, I can improve my skills when given sufficient time and support. I believe that I will score a high grade when given another chance to work in the company (Andrzej Buchaman 2007, p. 26). Decision-making and problem solving skills were also considered to be of value in the company. Therefore, the company kept a record of each person as regards to conflict resolution mechanisms. In this field, I scored the highest mark because I had four out of the possible five marks. My decision-making skills were strong because I generated solutions to various pro blems whenever called upon to do so. For instance, I was depended upon in making decisions related to customer complain. I could offer the best solutions that would be incorporated by the section manager. In any organization, evaluation of available options is critical to making strong decisions. In the organization, I never had problems choosing the best decisions. I would simply analyze an event and choose which style, method, or model to apply. Even though I was rated the highest in terms of decision-making and conflict resolution, I still believe that more needs to be done. I wish to work hard in order to perform extremely well in this field. Another skill acquired while in the organization is planning. Planning entails putting everything in order. The role I was assigned to needed a lot of planning. The management observed that I was a good planner and decided to give me a score of four out five (Panagariya 2008, p. 32). It was suggested that I have strong planning skills. Plan ning entails leading the teams, consulting team members, allocating tasks and setting objectives. Regarding task allocation, the management commented on my skills since I collaborated well with other members of my team to come up with a strong suggestion. This was achieved through consulting team members, offering strong leadership skills, and setting objectives that are similar to those of the organization. Planning is critical to the success of any project. Through proper planning, an individual would save time, resources, and energy. Other skills included delegation, motivation, coaching, target setting, interpersonal skills, written skills, and oratory skills. In written and oratory skills, I scored three out of five. In oratory skills, it was claimed that I was weak in presenting ideas, using the telephone, and attending meetings. However, I understood the structure and the format of speaking. Regarding written communication, I did not score more because I was unable to check c ompany blogs frequently. However, I followed the company proceedings through memos and reports. I scored a high mark in interpersonal skills meaning that I could easily form relationships with other members of the team. For instance, I was sensitive to the needs of other team players meaning that I responded positively to the views of others. Moreover, I scored high because I am a good listener (Wellington 2001, p. 79). Through listening, I was able to understand the problems of others in the organization. In many organizations, the greatest challenge for employees is to relate with their seniors. This was never a problem to me. Though I was rated high in terms of setting targets, I was a bit weak in offering coaching services to other staff members. A review of resources and activities used to develop those skills. You should comment on how useful these resources and activities were in developing the identified skills. If additional resources and activities were identified, post th e submission of the original PDP you should also comment on these A review of resources suggests that the organization provided its employees with adequate materials that helped them cope with the organization challenges. For each skill, the organization had resources. Regarding time management and teamwork, the organization provided materials that helped in reviewing the activities of the previous week. Such materials would always be circulated on Friday. For instance, the organization provided sites with critical information regarding time management. The management made it mandatory for all employees to attend time management course before joining the organization. The course was meant to give new individuals adequate time management skills. Apart from issuing critical information on time management, each employee was supposed to discuss with his line supervisor matters related to lateness (Weiss 2011, p. 23). The management provided enough information on areas perceived to be wi th weaknesses. For my case, coaching was another skill that I had to improve. Just like in time management, the management provided me with several websites containing critical information on coaching skills. I had to visit the sites at least one per every two weeks. However, this was not considered an effective tool to sharpen the skills of a trainee (Tanke 2000, p. 65). Each trainee with coaching weakness was required to work with his or her supervisor for a period not exceeding one month. During this period, the trainee would learn coaching skills from the supervisor and try as much as possible to apply the same skills before embarking on normal work. No trainee would be allowed to move on without mastering coaching skills. The requirements were helpful to some of us who had coaching weaknesses. Delegation was considered a complex skill and therefore, each trainee was to work hard to achieve this skill. I was instructed to delegate a role to one of my colleagues at least once per week. I was also supposed to issue clear instructions, using understandable language. Since it is one of the challenging skills to acquire, trainees were required to dig deeper into their pockets to fund delegation-training program. However, online training institutions conduct the program. Therefore, each trainee facing problems in the field was to subscribe to an online training program that would last for one month. To ensure that the trainee understands something, the line supervisor instructed colleagues to forward their feedback for analysis (Suzuki Dastur, Moffatt Yabuki 2009, p. 12). A review of the skills developed Review of the skills reveals that the organization is committed to improving the leadership styles of trainees. The skills I acquired from the institution are incomparable to any other sets of skills. The management was always friendly and willing to listen to the problems facing trainees. Scholars of communication argue that public speaking is the most difficu lt thing in the world. In fact, they argue that an individual would prefer death to speaking in public. In the organization, I gained skills regarding oral communication (Stewart 1990, p. 19). I believe that I can use the skills to conquer the world. Coaching skills are also important to the life of any individual wishing to take up managerial roles in future. I was referred to various websites that would be of great importance to my life in the future. I learned that writing and oral skills are go hand in hand. It is impossible to separate one from the other. My training with the telecommunication company was not in vain. This is because I learned a lot. However, I noted that the company suffered from delays due to inefficient system of communication. Even though the management was competent, the planning skill was still missing. It would take various days for a simple decision to be made (Steffen 2010, p. 17). It is suggested that the organization rethinks about changing its polic y as regards to planning. As shown in the flow chart below, the process of personal development entails three things. Individual and professional skills, qualities, and knowledge are developed through practice. The most important of the three is planning. It entails prioritizing some aspects. For my case, the trainee provided an opportunity to gauge my skills. Visiting the company as a trainee was the first step towards building confidence in my profession. I was able to put theories, models, and skills into effective practice. The organization gave me an opportunity to review he skills I have learned in class for several years (Minja 2009, p. 14). Skills are acquired through learning. In fact, scholars observe that it might take several years to acquire basic managerial skills such as coaching, delegating, and writing. As things stand currently, there is a cordial relationship between the implementing partners and cooperation among them can be categorized as fair. However, this mi ght change due to the time span the project is expected to take and the changing political and economical atmosphere in the world. An incident of lack of cooperation among the implementing partners can deal a fatal blow to the successful implementation of the project. This is one temptation that has previously destroyed very ambitious projects, as Kothari (2004, p. 23) states. The project faces the potential risk of introduction of new systems into the project. The purpose of this report was to help identify skills that an individual stands to benefit from working as a trainee. The responsibility of ensuring that a trainee acquires adequate knowledge and skills is the responsibility of all the concerned members of the organization. From my experience, it is clearly demonstrated that every member of the project has a role to play in the identification of skills that the trainee needs (Safizadeh, Field Ritzman 2003, p. 560). It can be concluded that skills are hard to fetch but are e asy to maintain. Members of the organization were supportive in ensuring that employees acquire adequate skills and knowledge. However, this task should not be left to one department. It is important that the management develop some measures to counter challenges that impede skill development (Shachaf 2008, p. 132). The management has an extra responsibility of ensuring that employees acquire knowledge in the organization. List of References Andrzej, A Buchaman, A 2007, Organizational Behavior, Prentice Hall, London. Barry, M 2005, Crises in the Contemporary Persian Gulf, Routledge, New York. Barthe, G 2010, Verification, Model Checking, and Abstract Interpretation, Springer, New York. Biswas, S 2011, â€Å"Commitment, involvement, and satisfaction as predictors of employee performance,† South Asian Journal of Management, Vol. 18, no. 2, pp 92-107. Carlin, M 2009, Cross-cultural e-commerce design guidelines for American and Chinese College student populations: Results from a n empirical comparative study, Maryland, University of Maryland. Carter, S 2000, â€Å"Improving the numbers and performance of women-owned businesses: Some implications for training and advisory services†, Education Training, Vol. 42, no. 1, pp 326-333. Chandra, P 2009, Projects Planning, Analysis, Selection, Financing, Implementation, and Review, Tata McGraw Hill, New Delhi. Drake, AR, Wong, J Salter, SB 2007, â€Å"Empowerment, motivation, and performance: examining the impact of feedback and incentives on non management employees†, Behavioral Research in Accounting, Vol. 3, no. 7, pp 1971-1989. Dressel, K 2001, Systemic Risk: A New Challenge for Risk Management, OCED, London. Geschwind, CH 2001, California Earthquakes, Science, Risk and the Politics of Hazard Mitigation. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore Horlick-Jones, T 1995, ‘Modern Disasters as Outrage and Betrayal’, International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters, vol. 13 no. 3 , pp. 305-315. Minja, D 2009, â€Å"Ethical leadership practices†, KCA Journal of Business Management, Vol. 2, no. 1, pp 1-14. Panagariya, A 2008, India: The Emerging Giant, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Safizadeh, M, Field, J Ritzman, L 2003, â€Å"An Empirical Analysis of Financial Services Processes with a Front Office or Back-Office Orientation†, Journal of Operations Management, Vol. 21, no. 5, pp 557-576. Shachaf, P 2008, â€Å"Cultural Diversity, Information, and Communication Technology Impacts on Global Virtual Teams: An Exploratory Study†, Information Technology Journal, Vol. 45, no. 2, pp 131-142. Steffen, L 2010,The Principles of Green Urbanism. Transforming the City for Sustainability, Earthscan Publisher, London. Stewart, D 1990, Focus group: theory and practice. Sage, Newbury Park. Suzuki, H, Dastur, A, Moffatt, S Yabuki, N 2009, Ecological cities as economic cities, Eco2 Cities, conference edition, Hong Kong. Tanke, M 2000, Human Resources M anagement for the Hospitality Industry, Cengage Learning, Albany. Weiss, WH 2011, â€Å"Building morale, motivating, and empowering employees,† Supervision, Vol. 72, no. 9, pp 23. Wellington, A 2001, â€Å"Health Insurance Coverage and Entrepreneurship,† Journal of Contemporary Economic Policy, Vol. 19, no. 4, pp 27-89.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Human resources Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human resources Management - Essay Example d, recruitment of the manpower requirement of these stores will have to be undertaken as soon as possible and the best possible way to achieve this is to undertake a job analysis. A job analysis refers to the process undertaken to pinpoint and establish in detail the particular job duties and requirements and the importance of the same, where the analysis is conducted on the job and not the person (www.hr-guide.com). It is undertaken as an initial step towards successive human resource management actions such as defining a job domain, writing a job description, selection and promotion, training needs assessment, compensation and organizational analysis/planning (en.wikipedia.org). While the whole process may take some time to complete and shall entail the company some costs, the results of a job analysis are far greater than the time and costs involved as the same shall help spell the success of the proposed stores. The proposed job analysis may take the form of structured or unstructured interviews of incumbent employees, direct observation of employees at work, or the administration of questionnaires on existing employees. As against the interview and questionnaire methods, a job analysis undertaken through direct observation makes possible the gathering of first-hand knowledge and information about the job being analyzed as it allows the analyst to see, or experience in some cases, the work environment, the tools and pieces of equipment used, the relationships among workers and the complexity of the job. However, the observations may not be as conclusive as the presence of observers may cause alterations in the normal work behavior of the employees being directly observed (www.jobanalysis.net). The interview method of job analysis, on the one hand, requires that the interviewer possess effective listening skills as concentration can easily be disturbed by interruptions, the interviewers own thought processes and the difficulty of remaining neutral

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

International Marketing Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

International Marketing Strategy - Essay Example The company whose headquarters are in Switzerland has embraced an international marketing program partly because its local market is too small to address its projections (Nestle.com, 2014). Nevertheless, the program has had associations with different matters. There was a boycott that was started in the 80s against the marketing of the infant formula that is manufactured by the company in the developing countries and has progressed from time to time (Multinationalmonitor.org, 1987). In the present times, the company has had to deal with issues associated with its growth through acquisitions. This paper will evaluate Nestles international marketing strategy with specific emphasis on the strategies it uses in Europe. The present set up of Nestle was established in the early 1900 when a company that has American owners and was based in Switzerland merged its operations with a company of Swiss origins (http://www.nestle.com.eg, 2014). Initially, the American company had been employing canning technology to process milk while the Swiss company had employed technology that had fruitfully marketed infant formula (Wilkins, 2004, p. 27). The company adopted the Swiss name and started a run of acquisitions as well as a global expansion program. The initial expansions, including in to the United States, took place as the First World War progressed (Encyclopedia.com, 1999). Even though the company was largely unaffected by the war particularly because of the neutrality of Switzerland, its main markets as well as sources of milk were heavily affected (Referenceforbusiness.com, 2014). This made the owners of the company to look for diversification so that they could make sure the company could survive this and other shakeups that may be faced in the market. After the war ended, the company continued its global expansion, creating new categories of products through acquisition as

Monday, November 18, 2019

Ethics Boards. Should IRB set common rules for researchers Case Study

Ethics Boards. Should IRB set common rules for researchers - Case Study Example In America, the Institutional Review Boards is a body charged with responsibilities of ensuring that the aforementioned concerns are addressed amicably so that research can be conducted appropriately hence providing reliable findings that will change the complexity of human life. in this particular case, a conclusion will be drawn based five studies case that has indicated how unethically conducted research can affect the normal life of individuals. Considering the first case, the researchers carried out the study on the effectiveness of penicillin in curing syphilis. It is paramount to state that they acted unethically by overstretching the freedom bestowed on them. as such, they acted with least responsibility and disrespect to humanity. In the second case, the researchers disregarded the cultural practices of particular people through excavating of their keens’ remains. Similarly, with the third case, the procedures that involve getting approval by the IRB is quite restricted. As such, it is hard to get approval making some researchers disregard the regulatory body. In the fourth case, the IRB is accused of unethically derailing some mega projects on grounds that they are unethical. Finally, the fifth case concerns researchers who dishonestly obtains human specimen such as blood without properly informed consent. All researchers should seek guidance and authorization before carrying its preliminaries. In addition, they should present the research proposal beforehand to allow experts to give their opinion for or against the procedure.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Modern and Postmodern Traditions in Power and Law

Modern and Postmodern Traditions in Power and Law The Law and Power Relations in Society:  A Brief Review of Modern and Postmodern Traditions To achieve an understanding of how, at the beginning of the 21st century, law has come to be understood as a manifestation of social power, it is necessary to place the question within the framework of the dominant intellectual paradigms of the past one hundred years. Such a consideration is relevant because the two major paradigms namely, modernism and postmodernism have operated according to contrary assumptions about reality in general and social reality in particular. Modernism, which dominated Western society throughout the 20th century until the 1960s, assumed that all human enterprises should be conducted according to the principles of universal rationality, with a strongly centralizing tendency emphasized in all social institutions. Postmodernism, on the other hand, assumes that human beings are mainly motivated, not by rationality, but by a virtually endless diversity of individual and cultural values. Thus, any overarching theory about how people do, or should, live in so ciety is bound to be inadequate, and social institutions must allow for the full range of human diversity. In the discipline of sociology Functionalist Theory dominated the modern period, but during the past few decades Critical Theory has come to dominate the postmodern period. To put it simply, Functionalism assumes that society works, because of its inherent harmony, while Critical Theory assumes that society does not work, because of its inherent conflicts. As far as law is concerned, during the modern period a rationally independent and fair distribution of justice was supposed to characterize the legal system. But during the postmodern period the legal system has come to be regarded by many of its critics as the source of often inequitable i.e. distributions of power, specifically motivated by, and ultimately working for, the interests of the state in general and the cultural elite in particular. The writings of Max Weber (1864-1920), one of the founding spirits of sociology, illustrate the modern conception of law perfectly. According to Mathieu Deflem (2009: 45-46), Weber argues that the law, like all modern social institutions, including politics and the economy, is dominated by purposive rationalization, posited as the standard for both jurisprudence (legal theorizing or lawmaking) and adjudication (law-finding) in the courts. Rationalization leads to the establishment of the principle of the rule of law. This means that all social conflicts are to be settled in the courts according to established laws that are written down and codified. The rule of law is intended to be impersonal and objective, giving rise to a adage Justice is blind, a central value of Western democracies, sometimes phrased as the sayings All are equal before the law and No one is above the law. According to Joyce Sterling and Wilbert Moore (1987: 68-69), Weber accepts law as creating its own sphere of autonomous social reality, but its influence is relative, not absolute. The more a legal system looks to itself rather than to external social, political, and ethical systems in making and applying law, the greater the degree of relative autonomy. In the United States legal system The Exclusionary Rule and The Miranda Rule are examples of the law defining itself and acting independently of other social concerns. A second characteristic of legal autonomy is the principle of equal competencies whereby counsel is provided for those who cannot afford it. Weber distinguishes between subjective rationality, in which values influence individual decisions, and objective rationality, in which principles determine social decisions. He also distinguishes between formal or purely legal law, and substantive or extra-legal law. Similarly, Weber distinguishes between rational law, determined by general principles, and irrational law, determined by individual and contextual considerations. Formal rational law is called positive law, while formal irrational law is called charismatic or revealed law. Substantive rational law is called natural law, while substantive irrational law is called traditional law. In the words of Sterling and Moore (1987: 75), Although Weber denied that he was posing a unilineal process of rationalization, he did tend to view legal systems as moving from irrational to rational, and from substantive to formal rationality. Moreover, Weber links his typology of law to his typology of politics. He identified three types of po litical legitimization: traditional, charismatic, and legal. Once again, according to Sterling and Moore (1987: 76), As law becomes rationalized, it becomes its own legitimizing principle in other words, the rule of law, what Weber calls formal legal rationality. This is aided by bureaucracy and professionalization, ensuring calculability or predictability in legal matters and making the system self-contained and seamless, almost totally isolated from moral, economic, political, and cultural interests. Webers modern rationalistic conception of law has suffered a severe critical attack on various fronts since the 1960s. Austin Turk (1976: 276) sums up the critical legal position perfectly: Contrary to the rational model, law is actually a set of resources whose control and mobilization can in many ways . . . generate and exacerbate conflicts rather than resolving or softening them. In short, power is the control of resources and law is power (280). The mere mention of power in relat ion to law is bound to evoke the spirit of Karl Marx (1818-1883). According to Alan Hunt (1985: 12, 20-22), the content, principles, and forms of law are all matters of ideology that is the reflective distortion of reality in any human claim to knowledge, making Webers political legitimation by rule of law nothing more than one opinion among many (sometimes irrational) competing opinions about the proper relation of law and power. Moreover, as Elizabeth Armstrong and Mary Bernstein (2008: 75-76) point out, the modified Marxist argument whereby governments are the only rule makers and social reformers define themselves solely in relation to the state has now become obsolete. According to these authors, culture itself is constitutive of power. If this is true, then law has already lost much of its supposed power merely by definition. Kim Lane Scheppele (1994: 390-400) provides an excellent overview of critical jurisprudence theory, all of it based on the foundational belief that rational jurisprudence theory masks the fact that political interests or power relationships are what really drives the legal systems of Western democracies. An attack on liberal legalism argues that rights, neutrality, and procedural justice are all fictions designed to maintain social inequalities. The indeterminacy thesis argues that contradictions and inconsistencies within the law make purely rational adjudication impossible. There are many particular manifestations of critical jurisprudence theory. Feminist jurisprudence, for example, contends that the way gender is defined socially often makes the law patriarchal and oppressive to women, especially in regard to such issues as abortion, rape, domestic violence, pregnancy, sexual harassment, employment discrimination, child custody, and pornography. Feminists are divided on how to ri ght the wrongs of rational jurisprudence. Some advocate treating women exactly the same as men, while others argue that women should be treated differently. In either case, the objective is to achieve equality with men through the law. Similarly, critical race theory argues that people of color have been oppressed by the law by being silenced or having others speak for them, and they have pleaded vigorously for the opportunity to tell their stories, so their culture and their lives can be treated fairly by the law. In fact, the theme of the relationship of power to the law has been most compelling addressed in terms of the indeterminacy of language itself an argument expressed by Jacques Derrida in his theory of deconstruction. If the rational rule of law is enshrined as a written code, but language itself is open to a diversity of interpretation, how can the rule of law be trusted not to be abused by the judges and lawyers representing a powerful political à ©lite? Critics would argue that such an abuse is inevitable. References Armstrong, E. A., Bernstein, M. (2008). Culture, power, nad institution: A approach to social movements. Sociological Theory, 26 (1), 74-99. Deflem, M. (2008). Sociology of Law: Visions of a Scholarly Tradition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Hunt, A. (1985). The ideology of law: Advances and problems in recent applications of the concept of ideology to the analysis of law. Law Society Review, 19 (1), 11-38. Scheppele, K. L. (1994). Legal theory and social theory. Annual Review of Sociology, 20, 383-406. Sterling, J. S., Moore, W. E. (1987). Webers analysis of legal rationalization: A critique and constructive modification. Sociological Forum, 2 (1), 67-89. Turk, A. T. (1976). Law as a weapon in social conflict. Social Problems, 23 (3), 276-291.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

billy mitchell Essay -- essays papers

billy mitchell PART I The end of the era of Reconstruction in America brought forth the greatest rise in American Power. This era was known as the "Guilded Age." Big business grew all over the country producing a few tycoons such as John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and J. Pierpont Morgan. These men had extreme wealth through huge monopolistic enterprises. This was unfortunately at the expense of many immigrants who worked for these men. Women and children worked long hours in sweatshops for horrible wages. Men worked however they could sometimes as miners, construction workers, railroad builders, and factory workers. These immigrants came from southeastern Europe mainly. The country's population skyrocketed with the flow of immigration after the civil war. These immigrants built America, as you know it today. Due to Germany's unrestricted Submarine warfare America had no choice but to enter into World War I. on April 6, 1917 America declared war on Germany. This was to be one of the bloodiest, dirtiest wars ever. They fought in what we call trench warfare. Long trenches went all the way down the enemy and friendly lines. America's soldiers and technology had a big role in the allies' defeat of Germany. The war was ended with the Treaty of Versailles. The United States never joined in the League of Nations, which the allies had formed thus continuing isolationism. The 1920s brought about a time of prosperity for America. 50% of Americans were living in urban areas by this time. The country was going through prohibition, making alcohol illegal. Cultural change brought about many problems in the U.S. Swing dancing and loose skirts were all the rage. Women were becoming more independent. Like all great things in life this age of prosperity sharply came to an end with the Great Depression. The Great Depression started in the fall of 1929 with the New York Stock Exchange crash. With the economy resting in the hands of the tycoons like Rockefeller the depression was inevitable. By 1931, 5 million Americans were unemployed. The great nation, which was just coming to power, seemed like it was going to die out. It might have if a man named Franklin D. Roosevelt hadn't been elected president. Roosevelt began to put in effect a plan he called the New Deal. He took the U.S. off the gold standard to help the crisis. He also passed a serie... ...y time of day. This is a huge plus for the military that Billy Mitchell did not foresee. William "Billy" Mitchell was undoubtedly one of the greatest figures in American military history. He is the father of the U. S. Air Force, the one man who fought for what he knew was needed. He was a true American, unafraid of persecution and ridicule. Billy Mitchell fought his points to the point of his demise. Without this man there might not of been an Airforce. Without this man there might not be an America today. Bibliography: "American Air Superiority," Billy Mitchell's Role in the Air Force. Woodbridge, CT: Primary Source Media, 1999. Rpt. In Student Recourses Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, Dec. 2000. http://264.312.569.115/servlet/SRC 29 Sept. 2001. Bellows, John. "Billy Mitchell." Journal of American Military. 1953. 356-359. Burlingame, Roger. General Billy Mitchell: Champion of Air Defense. New York: McGraw- Hill, 1952. Hurley, Alfred F. Billy Mitchell: Crusader for Air Power. Bloomington, IN.: University Press, 1975. Jordan, Winthrop, Miriam Greenblatt, and John Bowes. The Americas: A History. Evanston, IL: McDougal, Littell and Company, 1991.